Danger-zone signal for turrets.



F. W. WOOD.

DANGER ZONE SIGNAL FR TUBBETB.

PPLIOATIOI PILBD J'UIB 8, 1008.

`Pabellld Sept. 7, 1909.

` 5 sums-anma.

mwen/n1. a.

Fbsc

gmuemloz wi h1 mec F. W. WOOD. DANGBR'ZONB SIGNAL ron TURETs. APIfLlUATIOK FILED JUNE 8, 190B.

933,218. Patented sept. 7, 1909.

witnesses F. W. WOOD. DANGER zum: smML/ron TURBETS.

APPLIOATIDI FILED IUHB 8, 180B Quando:

aucun? I'. W. WOOD. DANGER zolsm mmm. ron unnms. APFLIUATIOH FILED .TUIR 8, 190B. 933,218. Patnteaf Sept. 7, v1909,I

5 BEHEER-BIBB! 5.

etc.,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK W. WOOD, OF NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA., ASBIGNOR T CHARLES GQRY SON,

0F NEW YORK., N. Y.

DANGER-ZONE SIG-Edif FOR TURBETS.

Specification of. Letters Patent.

Application tiled J'une B, 1908.

Patented Sept. '7, 1909.

serial No. 437,414.

- useful Improvements in Danger-Zone Signals for Turrets, of which4 the following is a specification.

4My invention relates to an electric signal.- 'ingi system, and more particularly to a signa' ng system especially designed for use 1n connection wlth the gun turrets of battleshi s, and the like. y

ertain recently developedclasses of ships have been equipped with a plurality of revolving turrets,` disposed along the length ofthe ship at comparatively shortintervals apart. In some instancesthe spacing of the turrets is no greater than the length of the ms carried thereby, and the guns may lie `in the same or different planes c the specific arrangement, it is obvious that the guns of adjacent. turrets may frequently be trained in such direction that a shot or blast from one gun would be likely to injure or damage another gun, its turret, or parts of the ship. Since the gunners in the several turrets are so situated, on account of armor, Athat the occupants of one turret cannot see fthe other turret, or the position ofits guns, recourse must be had tosignaling devices for Warnin ythe gunners of danger.

, The primary o ject of the presentinvenl tion is, therefore, to provide a signaling system which shall serve tov automatically notify the guuners in any turret vyhen their gunsvare trained in such a direction as to endanger any =other turret or part of the shi further object of the invention is to provide such a system which shall also yserve to simultaneously notify the gunners in `two or more adjacent turrets when ltheir guns are trained in such-` a direction as to give rise to mutual interference. 4

Afurtherobject of the invention is to so arrange the system that not onli .will signals be given under danger con( itions, but also the firing circuits of the interfering uns may be so controlled as to render an injurious? shot impossible. l Still further objects of the invention are to 'provide a simple and effective circuit controlling mechanism for producing the above results, and to provide an improved sigual- Whatever f y ment; 1

Irets, two of which those represented by ingd instrument especially designed for the work which it has to perform. lilith the above-and other objectsin View, the 1nvent1on consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter Ldescribed, and 1 ustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electrical connections employed in carrying out my invention; Fig. 2 is e similar diagrammatic view of a part of the circuits illustrated in. Fig. l, but showing a slightly modified arrangement; lfligs. 3 and 4 are diagrams illustrating the elementary circuits as employed in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5 is a central transverse section throu h my improved circuit controlling device; ig. 5

is a transverse section through the contact arm, on the line -m of Fig. 5. Fig. 6 is-a plan view thereof, with the cover removed; ig.` 7 is a front elevation, with cover removed, of my improved signaling instru- 8 is a central transverse section thereof; g. 9 is a front elevation of the signaling instrument as it appears in use;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view conventionally illustrating a turret and showing the manner of applying my invention thereto; lFi 11 is ar similar view showing a slightly diferent arrangement.

Referring to the drawings in detail and more particularly to Fig. 1, O, O an .0" represent the centersof three adjacent 15u16 and O', having their guns lying in thesame plane, and the thirdA one having its dis osed in a diiferent plane. The line indlcates the direction of the center linepor keel of the ship.

In carrying out my improved system of signaling I make use of the apparatus illustrat-ed in Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive, such ap aratus comprising a circuit controller an a signaling instrument.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the circuit controller comprises a. suitable casing 14, preferably cylindrical, and provided with lugs 15, by means of which it may be secured in position on a turret. A` top plate or cover 16 is secured to the casing, and suitable water 105 interposed between-tll i this shaft 20 is the contact making arm, which is designated in its entirety by the 4reference character W. As clearly shown in Fig. 6, this arm comprises a bifurcated prtion 2l, which is slipped over the shaft and clamped in position by means of bolts 22.

24. Coil springs At its end, the arm W carriesa series of contact brushes 23 which preferably consist of sticks of carbon slidably mounted in metal blocks 24, 24', carried by ,said arm and surrounded by insulating material 25. The contact brushes, of which in the present instance, twelve are illustrated, are thus divided into two groups of sixpeach, the groups being entirely insulated from each other, but all the brushes of each group Ibeing electrically connected by means ,of the blocks` 24, 26,bear against the inner ends of said brushes andI urge them outwardly into ,engagement with the contactstrips, now to be described. Thesecontact strips, lwhich 'are' designated by 4reference characters 27 ,'27 27 P, etc., and 29, are pref- 'eiably rings of'copper which are embedded in the inner -face of an annular ring or drum, 30 of insulating material. (See. Fig. 5). As clearly shown,^these strips are sep'f arated by ribs of insulation, anda'are so formed as to Aconstitute smooth 4continuous bearing surfaces for the brushes 23. IThe contact strips are'divided by means of insulation .28, into `the r uired segments, as hereinafter explained. hedrum 30 is secured tothe bottom of the 14, Aaa' b means Yof screws 31. Screws 32 pass throng the drum 30 and tap into the several contact strips .above described, Aandconnections, such ais-33, 34, 35,` extend `from these screws 32,

to suitable binding posts .37, 38, secured to the edge ,of the' drun 0nl Tp these binding posts are also secured .terminals 36,.:ind` from these terminals 36 extendwires 13 -in the forni/of a cable, to asimilar circuit controlling device on the other turret. and to ,the

signaling instruments.. y A pipe39 4is preferably screwed into'the casing 14 to form a .conduit for carrying andprotectingl this cable.

Referring now more particularly toFigs.1 7 to 9, my improved signaling instrument ,comprises a casing 40,]having a front. wall ter ti ht.

with a packing 42, to render the` 'casing waprovi ed with three bullse es 43, 45, 46,

on which the letters L,"1 A, and R, are

formed, ndabove these bullseyes is wlit. 'ten 'the Word "Dan er. 'E'xtendln'g in.

the casing,` and 'be nated by the on lsuch arm re )resenting thecontact brushes 23. The solid lack portionsofthecircular The front wall of the casing is esame' jects a downwardly and forwardly extending horn or trumpet 52. Lugs 53 are provided, for securing the signaling instrument in osition, and the casino is formed with a soc :et 54 for Vthe reception of u pipe 55,

which contains the wiring. In sonne instances, the middle lamp und liulls eye marked A' maybe omitted. Thi electroinagnet 50 and diaphragm .31 constitute a device connnoplv known as an electric horn or hcw1er, operates to produce a loud buzzing sound when the magnet :'10 is supplied withan alternating or pulsating current.

Referring again to Fig. 1 it will be seen that there are three of these signalin instrumentsclesignated by the letters T, V, in each turret, arran ed at the stations of the twogunnersand 51e gun trainer. Current for o erating the system' is preferably furalternatingl current. Extending from this generator, land controlled bymeans of a `switch S, are the two main supplyivires 1 `and 2. The wire 1 has branches extending to each Qfthe'turrets, and fthe, wire 2 taps a wire 3 w'h1ch extends, between turrets `Numbers 1 and 2. This wire 3 `connec'tsat yits ends ywith' the lcontact. stri s 29 and 2,9. `which are continuousand whicform a com` mon return for the various other circuits =l1ereinafter .referred to.' In` this figure is 'diagrammatlcally shown'a development of the circuit controlling .device illustrated in Fi 5 and-.6 thecon'tact 'arm bein desiggs letter W, 'and 4the'smalcircles arcs represent' those parts of thecontact f strips which arenot active, and which are separated by insulation from the adjacent parts' and the active portions are dlsposed on each side, in Setsof progressively increasing Thearraifilgement of the system will be lst undrstoo by'a descriptionoffits operation. The arcs representing the Vpath described bythe mnzzles of the2A guns .has been arbitrarilvdiyided'nto 'certainsections sentI the direction: ofthe 'axejsof the guns It will l.assumed that. ,the guns .offturret No; 1L a'retrained into-the positiongindicated the lineiC.- It is evident thereforgthat '1 at thesame tme,. tl1'egun's of turret No. 2

*aretrained in adirection represented by the can bgtraced'fiom wire 2 to wire; contact `strip 29, through` block 9A^of :what arnrj'to;"contact'strip'37'4 Vthence. by one of thewires-13 to' the cevrespmdiq .contact desi lated by'ftlie-lettersB, (lg-D, etc., and' xB, e

ioo'

on the circuitcontrolling device of tur- Lo. 2, thencehy block 24 of arm W', to Contact str1 27', thence by wire 11,through l the-signal amp and bowler' magnet of each of the slgnalmstruments, '1" U?, V', in multiple relationiowire 1. A signal will thus be venfto'wai'n the gunners in turret No.

t tthey are-in danger of damaging turretLNo. l. It 'willbe noted in this connec- Ytient-hat the' particular lainp of t11e-si, ,vnalv "signals so given'v will continue to'sound, in

turret No. 2 uninterruptedly until turretNo.

` 2 is swung to the right, pastthe osition K',

or else turret No. 1; is swungto t e left, past the 4position B. i 4

j `It will be supposed that turret No;V 2 continuesto swing tothe right until Iit occupiesA the position indicated by the line G. If,

then, turret. No. 1 is 'swungtoward the right 25.

until it .reaches the position indicated by the linet O ;-'G, lcircuit can be traced as before through the lsi aling instruments, T', U', and and a so through wire 3, contact -strip 29'", block 24 of contact arm W, to.

one of the contact strips associatedrtherefwith,thence over one of the Wires 13 tacon-` wire 13, to contact tact strip 27, .on turret'No. 1, thenceby wire l12, through the signalingl devices T, U, and V,.on` turret No. l, baclnto wire, 1. It will thus be seen that in certain positions which Ilia-ye designatedpositions of mutual interference, signals vwill-be given in -both turrets, and will continue uninterruptedly ulntil such mutual interference zone has been passed, It will beunderstood that this line 'of mutual interference 'is reached just beforev `mechanically foul each other.` In

the guns although the guns4 are not m such position,

" vthe' actual line of each othefsre, each is 4rliahle ftoibedamaged by the blast from the other.l

. Suppose now that turret No. 2 continues to swing to the right, andthat the guns oc-` by the line In this osition it will be observed by reference to Vhe diagram that the signals 'in turret No. 2 will be silent, owing to the fact that thecontact arm W has moved out of contact with the outer series of contact strips. If, however, the guns of turret No. 1 ane now trained to the position indicated by the line K, for instance, a circuit can be traced from Wire 2, contact strip 29', block 24 of arm W', one of the longer contact strips Vof turret'No. 2, over a corresponding strip' 27, of .turret No. 1, 24 of contact arm W,

thence through block thence over wire 12,

to 'Contact strip 27,

`through the signaling instruments of turret No. 1, back to the generator by way of wires 5, and 1. It will therefore hessen -that as soon as the guns of one turret are-in danger of injuring any adjacent turret, the s1 nuls will be continuously displayed in suc i turret and that Iin case the guns of two adja- No.' 2 and No. 3, when they occl y the mutual interference zone indlcated y the letters M, N, N', N, and it is believed that the operation of this part of the system will be readily understoodrfrom the preceding description. It will be noted, too, that the active insulatedV contact segments for this purpose form smooth continuations of .,the segments 27, etc., `employed for-turrets No. 1 and No. 2.V In connectlon with turrets No. 2, and No. 3, it maybe stated that the guns are normally housed in the amidship sition, when not in use, and the middle bu ls eye, bearing the letter A nated.A By reference to Fig. 1, however, it Will be noted that the middle lamp in these instruments is not in circuit with the howler, and therefore no audible signal is reduced for the amidshi indication. he Contact strips of turret o. 2 are so ar ranged that this amidship signal is displayed, immediatel upon the guns passing the limit of fire ine, and in approaching this line from either direction, t e R orV L signal is displayed, and the horn sunded, so as to keep the gunners on the a ert.

By referenpe to Figs. 3 and 4, the conne/otions ofthe circuits just traced -Will be made clearer. The same 'reference characters are used as in the other dia maintain uniformit of escription, and to show the rglation o the parts. v

While, in most cases, the mere iving of .the .signals described will be su cient, itv

,the armature 72 is attracted by its relay.

an armature 72 which controls the circuity similar circuits be traced between turrets rams in order to cated vat R (see Fig. 2) in the common This attraction will always occur whenever the signals T, U, V are in operation, or in other words, whenever the guns of the turret lie within the danger zone. It will be understood, of course, that while I have shown a relay applied only to turret No. 3, in this figure,V I contemplate the application of relays suoli as R to the circuits' of as many of the turrets as may be desirable. t

In Fig. 10 I have illustrated one method of mountin my improved circuit controller 1,4 on the ottoni of the turret 68. The shaft 20 of the circuit controller is provided With a beveled gear 61, which meshes with the beveled gear 60, carried by a shaft 59, on which shaft is also mounted a beveled gear which meshes with a similar gear 57, rigidly secured to the usual compressed air ipe 56, which is stationary, and which proyects up along the axis of the turret. It will, therefore, be obvious that as the turret revolves on its rollers 70, the beveled gears will cause the operation of the contact arm qW, as described.

In Fig. 11, I have shown a slightly dif ferent arrangement. Here the circuit controller 14 has a Worm gear 65 secured to its shaft 20, and driven by means of a shaft 63, carryin on its en'd a pinion 64, which meshes with a arge annul gear wheel 62, secured to the turret foiin ations. It will Vbe ap parent that as the turret revolves, this gear wheel. 64 will impart movement to the con tact arm WV as above.

6T represents the barbette armor, and 69 the guns. 66 is the usual mechanical indicator employed. '13 indicates the cable of controlling wires which extends from one turret to the other, and, in Fig. 10, is arranged adjacent the axis of the turret, so that the movement of the parts will not be interfered with While I have shown my signaling system as applied to gun turrets, it is evident that, in many of its aspects, my invention ymay be employed to indicate thelelative angular position of any pivotally mounted objects whatsoever.

It will thus be seen that I have devised a svstem of signalin which readily lends itself to any practica requirements, and it is thought the many advantageous features of my invention will be quicklyappreciated by those skilled in the art.

What- I claim is 1. In combination with a pair of turrets, an electrical signaling system therefor includinv signaling`iiistrunients, and circuit controlling devices carried by and within said turrets, each of said circuit controlling devices comprising a series of contact strips of progressively increasing length, and a sweep arm having to engage said strips as the turret is turned,

arranged at Op contact brushes adapted` and electrical connections between some o! said strips and said signaling instruments.

2. In an electric signaling system for turrets, signaling instruments and circ uit controlling devices carried by and with the turrets, each circuit controlling device coinprising a series of annular contact strips, contact brushes coperatino' with said strips, circuit wires connecting tie corresponding strips of each series, and circuit wires con# necting one strip of each series with .its,1'espective signaling instrument.

3. In an electric signaling' system for turrets, a signaling instrument for each turret comprising right and left si als, a circuitfcontiolling device carried y and Within' each turret and actuated by the movement thereof, each such circuit controlling device comprising a contact arm and two series of annular contact strips coperating therewith, said series of contact strips bein arranged at op osite sides of the center o rotation of sai contact arm, an electrical connection between a strip of one series and said ri ht signal, and an electrical connection tween a strip of the other series and said left signal.

4. In an electric signaling system for turrts a signaling system for each turret comprisin right and ,ileft signals, a circuit contro ling device carried by and withinV lch turret and actuated by the movement t ereof, each of said circuit controlling deces comprising a Vcontact arm, and `two series of annular contact strips coperating therewith, said series of contact strips being osite sides of the Acenter of rotation of sai contact arm, and said contact arm being mechanically geared to the inside of the turret by toothed gearing in such a manner that uniform rotation of said contact arm is had upon the movement of the turret, and electrical connection between a stri of one series and said right si al, and e ectrical connection between a strap of the other series and said left signal. 4

5. In an electric signaling system for turrets, a circuit control ing device mounted on each turret, and actuated bythe rotation thereof, a signaling instrument for each turret comprising an audible si al, and a lurality of visual si als -inc uding rig t, left and ami shi s indications, and means governed by said circuit controlling devices for closing a circuit through either .120 said right or s left 7"signal and said audiblesignal, under one set of conditions, and for closing a circuit through said amidships signal, alone, under another set. of conditions. 4

6. In an electric signaling system for turrets, a signaling instrument for each turret, comprising a plurality of si als including right, left, and ami ships indications, circuit-controlling devices mounted on V130 elch turretand comprisiff' :three sets'ot con. tlcts, and a single control l'ng'farm coperatilig therewith to close, under one set of condltlons, a circuit through one set of contacts tothe said right signal. to close under another set of conditions through another of said sets of contacts a circuit through said left signal, and t close under a third sety of conditions a circuit through the third of said sets of contacts, and through said amidships signal.

positions the said devices jointly serve to` close a circuit through one of said instru` ments, and in certain other positions jointly serve to close a circuit through both of said instruments.

8. In combination, a pair of adjacent guns movable angularly7 Wlth respect to each other, a signaling instrument and circuits therefor controlledfby the relative angular position of the guns, and arranged to be operated when the ns are inaJ predetermined angular position with respect to each other to warn gunners of danger of `cross tire, and means in said signaling circuits for positively preventing the firing of a n1 in disobedience to a danger indication of the signaling instrun'ient.

9. In combination with a gun, a signalinvr instrument, and circuits therefor controlle by the position of the un forindicating the position of the gun w ich will endanger an adjacent object upon the firing-*of the gun, and means in the said signaling circuits for positively preventing the firing ofthe gun 1n disobedience of the indication of said signaling instrument.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRANK Vf'. WOOD.

Vit-messes J.'E. WARREN,

E. W. House. 

